Road grader



Dec. 2, 1 4. 1,517,711

- I 1 H. K. CLEMONS ROAD GRADER Filed Nov. 1, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 2, .1924.

H. K. CLEMONS ROAD GRADER Filed Nov. 1, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

- UNITED STATES HARRY K. CLEMONS, OF ST. YAUL, MINNESOTA.

ROAD GRADER.

Application filed November To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY K. CLEMoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road Graders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention provides an improved road grader adapted for use in build ing roads and repairing highways and in performing like work, and is in the nature of an improvement on or refinement of the road grader disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,067,808, of date July 15, 1923.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a commercial form of the improved road grader, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing the complete road grader;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective showing the front portion of the grader on a larger scale than in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through the main frame of the grader approximately 011 the line 3-43 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, some parts being sectioned on the line l-4 of said view;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a detail in horizontal section taken approximately on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

The complete frame of the machine comprises an upper main frame and a lower supplemental frame, which two frame members are rigidly connected, the latter being supported from the former. Said upper or main frame, in the preferred form of the machine illustrated, comprises laterally spaced longitudinal channel beams 7 and cross tie-beams 8, 9, 10 and 11. The main body portions of the beams 7 areparallel but the front ends thereof are converged and are rigidly connected to the relatively short front end beam 8 by joint strips 12 bolted or otherwise secured thereto. The lower frame is a horizontal rectangular structure rigidly connected at its corners to 1, 1923. Serial No. 672,124.

the side beams 7 by upright angle bars or posts 13 and brace straps 14. Said lower frame, as shown, comprises front and rear end cross beams 15 and laterally spaced longitudinal tie-bars 16, the ends of which are rigidly secured to the lower ends of the posts 13. Preferably, the cross beams 15 are steel channel beams set with their channels facing inward or toward each other. Extended parallel with the tie-bars 16, midway between the same, is a fixed main scraper-supporting beam 17, the ends of which are rigidly bolted or otherwise secured to the central portions of the transverse end beams 15. Located between said main beam and the tie-bars 16 of the lower frame are laterally movable auxiliary scraper-supporting beams 18. These beams 18 are provided with longitudinal slots and, preferably, each is formed with a pair of angle bars spaced to form longitudinal slots 19 and tied together at their ends by head brackets 20 that are directly mounted in the channels of the end beams 15 for lateral sliding movements.

The rear portion of the framework above described is supported by a pair of laterally spaced rear wheels 21 journaled on the trunnions of crank axles 22 that are independently mounted in bearings 23 secured on the under side of the end portions of the rear frame bar 11. These crank axles 22 are provided at their inner ends with depending arms 24: that are connected by rods 25 to the lower ends of latch levers 26 secured to longitudinal supplemental beams 7, which, in turn, are rigidly secured to the cross beams 11 and 10 of the main frame. These latch levers 26 cooperate with notched latch segments 27 rigidly secured to said beams 7. Coiled springs 28, attached to the arms 24 and anchored to the beams 7, carry a part of the weight of the load on the crank axles and assist in raising the load by the manipulation of the levers 26.

The front end of the main frame is supported by a steering truclcpreferably comprising two front wheels 29 journaled to a short front axle 30 having a centrally located upstanding pivot post 31 that is journaled in brackets 32 and 33 rigidly secured to the short front beam 8. The brackets 32 and 33 are free to slide vertically on the post 31 to raise and lower the front end of the framework, and to accomplish the said adjustment, I preferably provide the following connections. The numeral 34 indicates a sleeve located on the lower portion of the post 31 and bearing against the top of the axle 30. This sleeve has an offset lug to which the lower end of the thrust rod 35 is pivoted. The upper end of the thrust rod 35 is adjustably connected through one or the other of several perforations 36 formed in the upper end of a crank arm 37, the shaft of which is journaled in a bearing 38 on the beam 8 and is provided with a worm gear 39. The worm gear 39 is engaged by a worm 4O journaled in the bracket 38 and connected by a knuckle joint 41 to a rearwardly extended operating shaft 4:2, the rear end of which is journaled in a supporting post 43 secured on the frame beam 10. At its extreme rear end, the shaft 42 is provided with an operating wheel or hand piece 44.

The numeral 45 indicates a pole that is connected to the front axle 30 by diverging metal straps 46 and is provided with a rearwardly projecting sleeve 47 through which the post 30 is passed and to which said sleeve is rigidly but adjustably secured.

In the preferred form of this improved road grader or grading machine, I provide two long transversely extended scraper blades mounted for parallel angular adustments and reversible, so that they will scrape toward either side of the machine. These scraper blades are preferably made alike, each comprising a long scraper blade proper 49, the upper back portions of which are rigidly bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to approximately coextensive angle beams 50, which, in turn, are rigidly secured to shorter channel beams 51. To pivotally mount the scraper blades for horizontal angular adjustments, nut-equipped bolts 52 are passed through the main beam 17, through the flanges of the short beams 51, and through the flange of the angle beam and through the lower ends of oblique brace straps 53, the upper ends of which latter are rigidly secured to said beam 17.

To hold the front and rear scraper blades for common angular adjustments, I provide connecting links 54 shown as in the form of fiat metal straps or plates located one directly under each of the laterally adjustable auxiliary scraper blade supporting beams 18, (see Figs. 2 and '6). These links 54 are .pivotally connected to the ends of the channel beams 51 by nutequipped bolts 55 that are also passed through the long slots 19 0f the auxiliary beams 18. These nutequipped bolts 55, therefore, not only form the pivotal connections noted but afi'ord sliding pivotal connections between the scraper blades and the auxiliary supporting beams. The peculiar operation of these auxiliary beams will be noted in the description of the operation.

For lmparting angular adjustments to the scraper blades, I provide a manipulating device preferably comprising a gear segment 56 rigidly secured to the rear beam 51 and extending concentric to the rear pivot bolt 52. This gear 56 is engaged by a pinion 57 on the lower end of an upright operating shaft 58 mounted in suitable hearings on the beams 10 and 17 and provided at its upper end with an ope 'ating wheel or hand piece 59.

F or locking the two scraper blades in different angular adjustments, I preferably employ a perforated latch segment (30 rigidly seemed to the front beam 51 and extemled concentrically to the front pivot bolt 52. The perforations of this look segment (it) are adapted to be engaged by a dog in the form of a downturned pin or linger (31 carried by the front end of a long lever (52 that is intermediately pivoted to one flange of the main beam 17 at 63. The rear end of the lever (32 is pivotally connected to the lower end of an upwardly spring-pressed tripping rod 64, the upper portion of which is passed through and guided by a plate or board (55 secured on the main frame. The upper end of the trip rod 64 terminates in a head (30 that is adapted to be engaged by the foot of the operator or driver. The numeral (37 indicates an operators or drivers seat carried by the rear portion of the main frame and located in such position that the operator seated thereon may nearly or quite reach the trip head 66, the operating wheels 44 and 59, and the levers 26.

Operation.

Normally, the dog (31 will be depressed and engaged with one of the depressions in the lock segment (50 and, hence, will hold both scraper blades parallel and in any desired adjustment. \Vhen the blades are to be adjusted and set obliquely for delivery toward either side of the machine, the op erator steps on the head (36, thereby raising the dog 61 and releasing the scraper blades and then, by rotation of the hand wheel 59, the blades can be simultaneously adjusted to any desired angle. lVhen the operator releases his foot from the head 66, the latch dog 61 will again engage the segment (it) and lock the two blades in their set positions.

hen the blades are at ninety degrees to the line of draft, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the auxiliary bars 18 will be at maximum distance apart and away from the main beam 17, but when the scraper blades are set at oblique angles in either direction, the pivot bolts 55 will slide in slots 19 and will cause the auxiliary bars 18 to slide in end channel beams 15 and move closer together, always maintaining, however, parallel positions in respect to each other and in respect to the main beam 17. 'lhroughout these sliding movements, the auxiliary beams 18 assist in supporting the scraper blades and keep the'lower edges thereof parallel or for simultaneous tilting movements in vertical planes.

By different adjustments of the two crank axles 22, accomplished by manipulation of the levers 26, the main frame and, hence, the scraper blades, may be tilted transversely and set higher at one side than at the other, so that the blades will be higher at one end than at the other. By vertical adjustments of the front end of the main frame, accomplished by manipulaion of the hand wheel 44, the front end of the main frame, accomplished by manipulation of the to the rear end of said main frame, and by such operation, the front scraper blade may be set either on the same level With the rear scraper blade or in a plane slightly above the same. By the combined manipulations of the levers 26 and hand wheel 44, the scraper blades may be raised into inoperative positions above the ground or set for any desired depth of out. In fact, by ad justments of the levers 26, the scraper blades may be raised and lowered into and out of action, but the combined manipulations provide for all adjustments ever required in the manipulation of the scraper blades for different elevations in performing different kinds of work.

In actual practice, this road grader has been found highly efficient for the purposes had in view. It may be constructed at reasonably small cost and is very strong and durable.

The road grader illustrated in the drawings is provided with two scraper blades, one located ahead of the other, but much of the novelty involved in the application .is capable of use in a machine having but a single scraper blade. In the arrangement described, the front bar 51 serves as a cross tie-bar connecting the auxiliary beams 18 for parallel movements, when the front scraper blade is removed and only the rear scraper blade is employed; and, conversely, the rear bar 51 will perform a like function when the rear scraper is removed and only the front scraper blade is employed. When the two scraper blades are employed, the two bars 51 perform double functions, to wit: they connect the auxiliary beams 18 for parallel movements and they serve as wrenches and carrying bars for the scraper blades and connect the same to the centrally located main beam 17.

hat I. claim is:

1. In a grader, a supporting frame, a scraper blade connected to said frame for horizontal angular adjustments, an auxiliary beam connected to said frame for lateral transverse movements and pivotally connected to said scraper blade, and a trans verse bar pivotally connected to said frame and to said auxiliary beam and holding the latter for lateral movements parallel to its original position.

2. In a grader, a supporting frame, a scraper blade intermediately pivoted to said main frame for horizontal angular adjustments, laterally spaced auxiliary beams connected to said main frame for lateral parallel transverse movements and connected to said scraper blade on opposite sides of its intermediate pivot by pivots that slide longitudinally of said auxiliary beams, and a tie-bar intermediately pivoted to said main frame and connected to said auxiliary beams by pivots that slide longitudinally thereof.

3. In a grader, a supporting frame having parallel front and rear transverse guide beams and a. central longitudinal main beam, a scraper blade intermediately pivoted to said mainbeam, auxiliary beams located on opposite sides of and extended parallel to said main beam and held for lateral movements by said front and rear guide beams, a transverse tie-bar extended parallel to said scraper blade and intermediately pivoted to said main beam, and pivots connecting said scraper blade and tie-bar to said auxiliary beams with freedom for sliding movements longitudinally of the latter.

4. In a grader, the combination with a supporting frame, a pair of parallel scraper blades located one in front of the other and intermediately pivoted to said frame for horizontal angular adjustments, parallel laterally spaced auxiliary beams connected to said main frame for parallel lateral transverse movements, and pivots connecting said scraper blades to said auxiliary beams with freedom for sliding movements longitudinally of the latter.

5. In a grader, a supporting frame having parallel transverse front and rear guide beams and a longitudinally extended centrally located main beam, front and rear scraper blades intermediately pivoted to said main beam for horizontal angular adjustments, said auxiliary beams having longitudinal slots, and pivots applied to said scraper blades and through the slots of said auxiliary beams and connecting the latter for parallel lateral movements.

6. In a grader, a supporting frame, a scraper blade connected to said frame for horizontal angular adjnstn'ients, an auxiliary beam connected to said frame for lateral transverse movements and pivotally connected to said scraper blade, a transverse bar pivotally connected to said frame and to said auxiliary beam and holding the latter for lateral movements parallel to its original position, and alongitudinal link 1gonnecting said scraper blade and transverse 7. The structure defined in claim 2 in further combination with a link extended parallel to said auxiliary beams and pivot-ally connected to said scraper blade and tiebar for holding the latter parallel to said scraper blade.

8. The structure defined in claim 3 in fur ther combination with laterally spaced links extended parallel to said auxiliary beams and pivotally connected to said scraper blade and tie-bar and holding said tie-bar for movements parallel to said scraper blade.

9. The structure defined in claim 4 in further combination with laterally spaced parallel links connecting said scraper blades for parallel angular adjustments.

10. The structure defined in claim 5 in further combination with laterally spaced parallel links pivotally connected to said scraper blades by the pivots already noted and connecting said scraper blades for parallel angular adjustments.

11. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with means for adjusting said scraper blade to different angular positions and for locking the same in clifferent adjustments.

12. The structure defined in claim 2 in further combination with a segmental gear and a lock segment, one secured to said scraper blade and the other to said tiebar, a lock dog cooperating with said lock segment to secure said. tie-bar and scraper blade in various angular adjustments, and a pinion engaging said gear segment and having an extended operating connection.

13. The structure defined in claim l in further combination with a gear segn'ient secured to one of said scraper blades, a lock segment secured to the other of said scraper blades, a lock. dog operative on said lock segment to secured the scraper blade in various angular adjustments, and a pinion meshing with the gear segment and having an extended operating connection.

14. In a grader, the combination with a supporting frame, a pair of parallel scraper blades located one in front of the other and intermediately pivoted to said frame for horizontal angular adjustments. parallel laterally spaced auxiliary beams connected. to said main frame for parallel lateral transverse movements, and pivots connecting said scraper blades to said auxiliary beams with freedom for sliding movements longitudinally of the latter, and in further combination with independently vertically adjustable c 'ank axles applied to the rear end of said frame and equipped with wheels. a truck supporting the front end of said frame, and means for vertically adjusting the front end of said frame on said truck.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

HARRY K. CLEMONS. 

